SES orders 28 satellites from K2 Space for next-gen MEO network

TAMPA, Fla. — SES has ordered an initial 28 satellites from manufacturing startup K2 Space for meoSphere, a next-generation medium Earth orbit (MEO) network slated to be in operation by 2030.

The Luxembourg-based operator said the satellites would deliver high-speed broadband, support optical intersatellite links for data relay and enable hosted payloads across commercial and government missions.

The network would support up to 1 gigabit per second Ka-band broadband for flat-panel antennas as small as 25 by 25 centimeters and up to 4 Gbps using parabolic antennas for high-capacity connections, alongside optical links of up to 100 Gbps to relay traffic between satellites and emerging infrastructure such as space stations and orbital data centers.